Three Things Thursday: Le sigh

Today has been one of those days. You know the days I'm talking about - the kind where nothing cataclysmic happens but where enough tiny mishaps occur to throw you off your game.

And find yourself washing a brand new white shirt with an audience of 2-year-olds.

1.This morning, I had Miles in one hand, a bag and cup of coffee in the other. Yes, cup - as in not a travel mug because I couldn't find the lid to that. I got us out to the car, Miles settled into his seat and my coffee securely in the center console. We drove to daycare and discussed the normal things - going fwimmin', the car wash and who was going to take him to both activities. I got out of the car and just happened to look down as I walked around. I had a trail of coffee down a brand new white knit top.

Thankfully, the provider provided me with a wash cloth, soap and a bench to sit on. I scrubbed furiously and was able to get most of the coffee out. It must have been an interesting process because Miles and two of his friends were practically on my lap as I wiped.

2. I had a 7-mile run with six hill intervals on the schedule this morning. I had hoped to do an easy 7 with rollers outside but thunderstorms this morning had me on the treadmill. The run was fine though I did cut it to 6 miles because I had gotten in all the intervals and I have 15 tomorrow. I got off the treadmill and went about my morning without incident - save for the coffee. At work, though, after getting up to go to the bathroom, I had an annoying pain in my left hip. It didn't hurt to put weight on nor did it cause me discomfort as I sat. When I walked, however, I was distinctly aware that something was not right. I spent my day half-freaking out, half-working. And then I came home and it didn't hurt.

3. Tonight was the first night since Saturday that Mark, Miles and I were going to eat at home (we had family in town, etc.). I was so excited just to be home and enjoy a nice meal - Turkey Pizza Burgers on ciabatta rolls, sweet potato fries and broccoli.

But, yeah, those ciabatta rolls. When I took them out, each and every one had at least one spot of mold. I sometimes have buns in the freezer but not today, the wheat bread was gone and we were down to two slices of white bread. I told Mark that it was bagels ... or bagels. And he said he'd take the bread. So I decided to have mine on a La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Three-Seed Wrap.

So we had Turkey Pizza Patties or quesadillas? I don't really know.

I'm not sure it matters either as we kept it super classy and ate on TV trays in the living room. Please note the PlayStation controller and Swiss ball pump where my butt should be.

By the way, did you notice the missing sweet potato fries? Let's just say the oven forgot to turn itself on.

Thankfully, the patties ended up being winner - no doubt because of the star ingredient, Laughing Cow's new Babybel Mozzarella. The rounds make a great protein-filled snack and pair well with a fresh pear or do well sliced and diced in this burger.

The recipe is fairly low key - just a shake, shake, shake of this and a pinch of that - but definitely worth a go. Especially on a day like today.

Laugh It Up Turkey Pizza Burgers

1 pound lean ground turkey
12 pieces turkey pepperoni, chopped
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
2 teaspoons pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
4 rounds Laughing Cow Mozzarella
Optional or good ideas  if available in your fridge: 1 cup fresh baby spinach, 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce (sugar free!)
4 whole grain ciabatta rolls .... or whatever you have

Preheat skillet over medium to medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine ground turkey, sundried tomatoes, pizza seasoning and salt. Dice two rounds of mozzarella and combine gently. If adding spinach or basil, mix in as well. Form into four patties. Slice remaining mozzarella rounds. Place patties in skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes; flip. Top patties with cheese and cook another 5 minutes. Remove patties from skillet and place on a plate to rest. Split rolls and toast in warm skillet. Add 1 tablespoon pizza sauce to each bun, top with patty and serve. Garnish with more fresh spinach and red onion slices.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: I was provided with Laughing Cow Babybel Mozzarella Wedges at no charge but all thoughts and ideas are my own. I was not compensated to try or write about the product.

Let's nuun it, nuun it

I did it. I did it, and I didn't even tell you about it. The horror!

I applied for the nuun Hood to Coast team.

My application is equal parts campy and campy, and it's 100 percent authentic to who I am. Which I guess would make me campy except that I hate to camp. Just ask Mark, who is wishing to pursue the great and outdoors and whom I reminded that the last time I camped was because I drank two bottles of wine on Kelleys Island and couldn't be trusted on the ferry - much less drive my car home after reaching the mainland. Sleeping with my cousin and her friend on an air mattress didn't leave the greatest impression.

Let's get back on course ... ha! A pun. I'm so funny!

I applied, and I really, really want to make it. Not just because it would be an awesome opportunity to run the mother of all relays - and, hello, I'm a mother - but because of the amazing ladies I've been introduced to via the Twitter #nuunhtc hashtag. There are so many blogs that I've never come across, and the women behind them are accomplished and dedicated athletes with amazing creative talents.

As I watched all of the videos that I could find, the nerves began to set in. Ants crawled up my arms - not literally but it seemed like a nice equivalent to getting antsy. I started to wonder what more I could do to set me apart from the crowd.

Thankfully, Karen at Just Me and My Running Shoes tagged me in her Very Inspiring Blogger Award post, and I'm using it to tell you - and nuun - about just how I have fun. Even if it doesn't count as my official application.

1. I get down and dirty.

Mostly when it comes to trail races and running in knee-deep water and ankle-deep mud but I do have my secrets. Most of which are not so safely guarded by my friend C and, with the right amount of Coca Cola, he'll tell you.

2. I travel to places near and far. And then I run.

Racecations are an indulgence and a luxury, and I feel blessed that in the past two years I've got to run in New Orleans, Colorado, Michigan, Florida, Lexington and Ohio. Snark all you want about Ohio but you'll change your mind after you've had Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. Best thing I ever tasted after 26.2 miles.

3. I stalk people on the internet and then run with them.

Jess and I had our first date on a Colorado trail and - nunn, listen up - she still visits (the blog) after logging 11 miles with me.

4. I bake - preferably without a child in my arms.

I find baking to be so much fun that it was the central focus of a fiction series I wrote for the newspaper, and I spent months developing sweet treats. And let's just say, it's a really nice perk to be my friend around your birthday. After all, who doesn't want a spare tire?

5. I support my friends and all that they do - with 100 percent enthusiasm. Especially if it's doing something like running 26.2 miles.

Green beans and funny signs included.

6. I never miss a ladies' night.

So what if the events are at the running store and we're drinking nuun instead of cocktails. You would be hard-pressed to find a more raucous event than a group of female runners in a store with loads of discounts and walls of shoes.

By the way, for the local gals, Three Rivers Running Company is hosting Ladies Night this weekend at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and - contending to be more awesome - a Mom's Night at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 26. Thanks to my kind husband, I'll be attending both (and buying at least one pair of much-needed shoes).

7. And I like to be the life of the party.

Yep, that's me on the couch with a bowl of popcorn (popped in coconut oil) and the new watermelon nuun. Forgive a girl for catching up on "Bates Motel" after getting her groove on, will you? And by groove, I mean squatting to the beat during BODYPUMP. By the way, have you seen "Bates Motel"? Mark and I LOVE it.

With seven reasons to support my funness (I made up a word, sue me) and seven days till they pick the winners, I'm hoping nuun gives me the best birthday present ever - a spot on the team.

If you are feeling supportive (or bored), feel free to tweet them of my worthiness - @nuunhydration, #nuunhtc.

Spring Training: Week 14

Spring Training posts document my training for my "A" race, the Wisconsin Marathon half, on May 4.

The week, in training:

Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles +  BODYPUMP (taught)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 6 miles, tempo + BP rehearsal
Friday: 3.04 miles
Saturday: BODYPUMP (taught)
Sunday: 10.1 miles

◊ ◊ ◊

This week presented me with an interesting dilemma - I was recovering from Run the Bluegrass and jumping on a training plan (Train Like A Mother: Own It) to bring me to a strong finish at Wisconsin. Recovery and ramping up aren't two things that usually go together.

Or do they?

While the course didn't allow me to race-race the event, my legs most definitely felt terrain of Run the Bluegrass. The quads, hamstrings, calves (of all things) and core were tight and tired. The idea of even a Sunday morning walk up a hill in Cincinnati was enough to make me grimace in pain. Thankfully, family time on Easter gave me a much needed full day of rest, and the travel time was an opportunity to think about how to tackle the week.

I decided, if I early-week miles were easy, I could amend the plan to give my legs a break without sacrificing quality miles. I cut out the hill workout - duh! - and I moved Tuesday's tempo run to Thursday, allowing for another day of rest between the race and harder effort (+ four days). I was also mindful to go light on my weights during BODYPUMP. While I did wear a watch on the runs, I rarely looked down at pace and administered the talk test throughout the runs. To avoid looking completely insane, I pretended that I was talking to Denali.

When it came time for that tempo run Thursday (4 by 1 mile tempo w/quarter-mile recovery), my legs were surprisingly springy and I ran sub-9s for the intervals on the treadmill - a first - and set a PR pace, as well. And, even better, I felt like I could have gone a smidge harder.

By Sunday's long run, I felt like a new woman. I ran a surprisingly fast 10 miles - and that was with constant reminders to not race the long run. I'm going to credit the ability to wear shorts and finally some new fuel, proper hydration (mmm, nuun) and a rediscovered route.

How do you recover from a race? Do you have favorite tips?

Use your noodle

Tuna salad, suck it.

I was going to make curried tuna salad wraps for lunch this week. I bought some awesome wraps at Fresh Market and some tuna at Aldi though I did forgo the apples, which add a delicious crunch, because they were pricier than I prefer. But it was still going to be delicious.

And then this happened.

A random pasta salad that I threw together for lunch post-long run on Sunday. I enjoyed it so much - and had the necessary ingredients leftover - that I made it again for lunch today.

The inspiration for the bowl was some mini high fiber penne that I had made for Miles' lunch. He had requested pasta and the box was about a third full. Rather than making a single portion, I decided to cook it all and think about the rest later.

Later was 10 minutes - when I saw asparagus and mushrooms (leftover from Friday night pizza) in the refrigerator.

I roasted the vegetables at 450 degrees with a bit of olive oil. Meanwhile, I diced a bit of avocado and some tomato (leftover from burrito night).  Oh, and I boiled an egg for some protein .When everything was ready, I tossed it together with a bit of dressing. 

And, voila, lunch in 10 minutes from random leftovers! A delicious lunch, too, with the avocado adding creaminess and the roasted veggies offering bright flavors.

Rather perfect for spring - especially since it decided to arrive. Finally.

What are you eating for lunch?